


Hide and seek (or hit and tell)

by A_Mirror_of_memories



Series: My Wingman is a Lion Tattoo [3]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: 5+1 Things, Galra Keith (Voltron), Gen, Happy Birthday Keith, Keith's Birthday Week 2017, M/M, POV Keith (Voltron), Sapphire the Sassy Soulmark, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, With A Twist, galra soulmark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-25
Updated: 2017-10-25
Packaged: 2019-01-22 17:05:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12486572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Mirror_of_memories/pseuds/A_Mirror_of_memories
Summary: For only been a weird and sentient birth mark (emphasis in weird) who can't get out of his skin, Sapphire gets him in a good number of troubles. Or: five times that someone of the team almost discover Sapphire and one time someone actually did.





	Hide and seek (or hit and tell)

**Author's Note:**

> I was suppose to post this for Keith's birthday, I guess it's better late than never.  
> I also add some of my headcanon on here, let's see how many people can find them

1

One of the few benefits of having Sapphire stuck on his skin since birth (besides always having a friend with him, not that he ever would tell her that) is that on the last year he discovered that sometimes when he focused he could see through her eyes. It made things like watching for other guards when they sneak into the tent where the Garrison held a ‘surprisingly’ very alive Shiro a little easier. At least until a certain ex classmate came through the entry of the tent and he have to spend half of his focus keeping his little furry demon out of sight cause she wanted to see the guy she spends A WHOLE YEAR nagging him on ask on a date (And seriously, could she really blame him for not remembering his name? He only heard it once and it took him more than a month of been neighbors and almost daily interaction to actually remember Shiro’s name).

The ride back to his cabin was anything but uneventful, especially when barely seconds after reaching the bottom of the cliff Hunk practically yelled on his ear  **“What happened to your hand?!”**  A quick glance to his left hand almost send them right into a rock formation when he caught sight of skin way darker that should be over the hole of his glove and he would bet his last two months of salary that there would be also two tiny yellow points gleaming with fake innocence. Thank heavens it was the middle of the night and they all have more important things to worry about that his ‘burned’ hand.

* * *

2

Contrary of what the rest of the team believes, he didn’t spend ages on the training room because he didn’t care about losing hours of sleep. He needs to spend ages on the training room burning his excess of energy or he wouldn’t get even an hour of sleep.

Sleep rarely came easily for him, he had so much energy stored on his body that on a ‘good’ day he could spend three days with less than eight hours of sleep on total and still been able to function with normalcy. It got him on problems with more than one of his foster families when he was a kid and his insomnia only got worse once he hit the puberty. It was like his body was built to stand way more physical activity that the average human, like a warrior or something.

When he was little he blamed Sapphire for that, believing that somehow she could give him from her energy since like the cat that she was she sleep a lot even when he was awake. Years later he still wasn’t sure that it wasn’t that, especially when for some reason both spend all night long the next morning more often than not he was in what Shiro starts calling his  _“zombie mode”_.

Past midnight he was walking back to his room feeling a slight drowsiness, hoping to finally get more than three hours of sleep on the castle. He was also exploding the fact that everyone should be asleep to let his little tattoo wandering around his face having his eyes closed and letting her be the guide.

“Just make sure to not walk me against a wall. Again”. He asked her holding a yawn thinking on maybe getting a hot shower before bed. Sapphire answer was flicking her tail across his right eyelid making him opened of reflex. It didn’t hurt but it was always uncomfortable having her doing that.

“I thought we already been through this: My eyes, mouth and others are zones of my body that you are banned to touch for everyone sake”. He remember her on a whisper rubbing an eye while quickly blinking with the other. “Do you want me to recall the time that you accidentally ended on the inside of my mouth? I swear that the taste of wet cat stuck for-”.

 _Dodge!_ Without time to wonder where that thought came he instantly bend over effectively avoiding being hit with a metal arm on the head.

“Shiro?” He asks reaching a hand to turn the lights on and avoiding other attack.

After a moment his friend seems to realize who he was for the horrified look on his face.

“Keith?” He said on a hiss getting paler through seconds. “Oh my God Keith I’m so sorry! I thought I saw… those yellow eyes…” He keeps mumbling.

“Shiro it’s okay. I’m okay”. He assured putting a hand on his shoulder. It seems like he wouldn’t be able to get those three hours of sleep any time soon but assuring his oldest friend that he was safe and that there was not galra on the castle was worth the loss.

(Months later they would learn that there was actually one galra on the castle all this time, an almost a year after that to realize that Shiro did actually saw yellow eyes. Four eyes actually).

* * *

 

3

Space flu suck, especially when you’re the only paladin who didn’t caught it.

A visit to a planet marked left four of the five lions pilots with dripping noses, sore throats and as much energy as a sloth with hangover (Pidge brother has the weirdest metaphors).

Since a quick visit to the cryopods revealed that the disease wasn’t worse that a common flu and not wanting to spread the virus around the castle Coran had confined the sick ones on the castle equivalent of the living room with Keith acting as reluctant nurse since apparently the alteans reacted way worse to the virus that the humans.

Right now most of the Defenders of the Universe were lying down on the couch passing out after hours making him run from one place to another with their request of tissues, blankets, pillows, food, water, medicine, robot parts (that were denied) and entertainment.

Finally having a time to rest the red paladin sit down on the floor for a minute before reaching out for the remote to turn on the TV. For years he’s been downloading every movie he heard about to his laptop thinking on seeing them when he had time, which he rarely have, and after a little of trial and error with Coran help they finally manage to upload them on the castle data. Sadly after the first movie night, in which they saw a movie about a giant worm attacking a city (it was a classic!) the rest of the team has turn down the idea of looking into his folder again, choosing to go back to the altean movies selection even when they barely understand a word about it. Their loss.

“What do you want to see girl?” He asked Sapphire who quickly and with enthusiast get the form of a hock.

“Again? Aren’t you tired of always seeing the same movie?” Even while complaining he was already searching for said movie, knowing that his friend would bug him until he gives up. Reaching to turn the lights off, he sits back on the floor again snatching a pillow from the couch while on the screen starts playing the first seconds of  **“Moana”**.

Having seeing that movie at least four times already he takes his old notepad and start doodling after Moana leaves her island for the first time, not before asking his little tenant to alert him when that hideous crab stop singing.

“How mad Red could be if I draw him as The Ka?” He asked out loud in the middle of putting hair and glasses on one of the coconuts pirates.

“Seeing that she seems to be the main villain it would be wise to not put one of the pieces of Voltron on that role”. Came the answer from the door. Almost falling from the surprise he puts a hand over Sapphire and turns around to see Allura standing on the entry holding a tray with what looked like chicken soup.

“Coran thought that maybe they would like something to eat, he even looks onto Hunk’s recipes to see what would be a good food for a sick person”. The princess admits a little bashful putting the food on the table. “I never saw a movie with fake people on it”. She adds looking curious at the screen.

“The alteans don’t have cartoon movies?” He asks moving his hand once he feels Sapphire escaped back to his shirt.

“What are this cartoon movies? It’s normal that they sing on them?”

“They’re a kind of movies that are mostly make for the whole family. Sometimes they have songs, especially on the Disney ones”. The red paladin responded still baffled that a civilization so futuristic like Altea didn’t have cartoons. Seeing that the princess keeps looking enraptured to the screen like… well like a child to a candy store he ask her if she wanted to start watching since the beginning.

“Just tell me at the ending who you think was the real villain on this movie”.

“It’s obviously that monster of The Ka”. He just hummed to himself, absently moving the neck of his jacket to hide certain blue lion who keeps pocking her head to see the movie.

It was with shock on their faces that the rest of team Voltron watched Allura search on Keith’s folder on the next movie night. Their shock become joy when the first scenes of Frozen start playing on the screen. That new discovery, on Hunk’s humble opinion, was worthy of having to stand Lance singing  _“Let it Go”_  for weeks after that. (Pidge disagreed. Pidge strongly disagreed).

* * *

 

4

The bad thing about having your things always packed ready to move, Keith mused opening his bag, is that even you could forget what you packed on the first place.

It was a slow day on the castle and everyone has go to do their things. Not wanting to repeat what happened with the elevator last time (nothing short of a miracle keeps Sapphire hidden under the towel in his head with the guy he may have a microscopic crush by his side) he decided that it would be for the best if this time stayed on his room the whole day.

Not been tired enough to want to sleep he starts looking through his bag to see what exactly has been keeping there in the first place. Until now he has found (besides the normal things that he was hoping) a can of paint spray, six different socks, a unknown video game that who knows why he keeps on his bag and…

“What the hell are you supposed to be?” He ask out loud holding a grey plushie of something with a lot of arms. An octopus maybe?

He moved to inspect it with Sapphire on his face to give him her opinion. He was pondering on looking for Shiro to see if he knew what this was when the door slid open.

“Hey Keith, has you seen-?” Pidge’s words were cut when they took notice of his actual state. Probably they weren’t used to one of their teammates having a blue splotch on his face.

“I can explain-!”

“Mr. Noodles?” The green paladin said not even glancing at his friend, his gaze fixed on the mutant plushie.

“Who?” Taking advantage of their confusion Sapphire slip away under his shirt.

“That’s Mr. Noodles, Matt’s plushie. He had it since he was a baby. How is that you have it?” The last thing was followed with a suspicious look.

“I found it on my bag! I have no idea what it was doing there!” He defend himself holding the plushie away from his face. “I didn’t even know what it was. But since you said it’s from your brother you should have it”. Added extending his arm so they can took it. When Pidge don’t make any move of take it he starts to get a little nervous.

“You could give it him back once we found him”. He explained looking away.

Finally, the green paladin slowly move their hands to hold the plushie, to next hold it close to their chest.

* * *

 

5

“Did you finish?”

“…”

“What about now?”

“…”

“Seriously? The real tattoo took least time”.

“I bet that Pidge have to keep your mouth shut so you didn’t annoy the tattoo artist”.

“Aha! So he speaks!”

“Lance?”

“Yeah?”

“Shut up before I draw you a squirrel asking for nuts on your face”. Honestly, Lance should have already learned that he hate to be distracted when he was drawing. Hey, even Sapphire has learned to stay quiet when he was drawing.

He was already regretting offering to redrawn his tattoo for him (Not a word, skin demon).

“And it’s done”. He said after a while setting the pens away of his skin. “What do you think?”

The blue paladin didn’t move, watching frozen the little planet once again on his skin. The silence that followed was making nothing good to Keith nerves. He knew that it wasn’t like the original tattoo, no matter how many hours he had spent looking on the projection trying to make it the closer of the real thing. Hell, he even had to make the Earth bigger so he could draw Cuba with more detail. He was an idiot.

“It’s perfect”. Lance finally said tracing the planet with almost reverence. “Lo amo, muchísimas gracias Keith”.

“You- you’re welcome”. Not understanding what he said but getting an idea, the red paladin looked away pretending to be occupied packing away his things so he wouldn’t notice the red of his cheeks.

“So, since when did you start to drawing?” Asked the blue paladin not wanting him to go just yet.

“Since I was really little, I spend more than one sleepless night making doodles”. He confessed relieved for the change of theme. “I use to draw a lot on my own skin when I was little”. Keith let out the fact that most of that draws were made so Sapphire could play with them.

“Then what happened that you don’t do it anymore?”

“I grown up”.

“Don’t be like that”. Snatching a marker of his hand, Lance quickly draw a spot on his right cheek. “Look, now we are even”.

“How exactly this spot is the same as the masterpiece I make for you?” Keith glared ignoring the giggles of Sapphire behind his ear.

“For your information Mr. Mullet”. The brunette roll his eyes at that. “This is not a simple spot. It’s a… it's ball of yarn! And also-”. The rest of his explanation was drowned for the sudden movement of the red paladin.

“I have to go now”. Said rushing out of the room. Once the door closed behind him a blue blur launched from his ear against the spot, both disappearing on the neck of his shirt. After a quick glance to the sides he rolled the sleeve of his red jacket to cast a disappointed glare to his tattoo.

“I thought you want us to get along”. He accused to the oblivious lion who was busy playing with the ball of yarn.

* * *

 

1

In the middle of the night while everyone else was asleep a presence wandered around the castle of lions. He had only one destination on mind, one of the new paladins. While his brothers and sisters may believe that it wasn’t nothing wrong on throwing children’s into the role of defenders of the universe, the Red Lion couldn’t help but worry about his new charge.

This paladin was different from his last one, he had two kind of flames inside of him: one that burned with anger, fear and rejection. And another one hidden into the first one, a little flame who wanted nothing more than be loved, a family and have somewhere he could call home. It was this second fire that make him choose him as his paladin, no matter what the rest think about. And at difference of ‘some’ of his siblings, he always look for someone who’s first instinct is protect, not destroy. He was young, all of them were, but he had no doubt that one day they would make a better team than their predecessor even dreamed to be.

But first, he needed to introduce himself to someone else.

Slipping carefully into the bond that they started forming today, he waited patiently for the presence he felt earlier. He didn’t have to wait much since on matter of seconds a lighting blind him letting another being once disappeared.

 _Blue?_  was his first thought after seeing the newcomer, but he quickly correct himself. She was too small to be Blue, too young and inexperienced.

 _“Besides”_  He reflected with humour,  _“It’s been ages since she looked at me ready to maim me if I make a wrong move”._

“Greetings”. Black always said that he needed to prove the diplomatic approach first.

“What the fuck do you want?!” So much for the diplomatic approach.

“I wanted to know who was who inhabited on my new paladin’s head”.

“Your  **new paladin**  name’s Keith. You would know if you have bothered on listened when he introduce himself earlier”. The venom on her voice was barely hidden.

“He needed to prove himself worth of been a paladin”.

“Then how that the others only have to walk to the shield to be accepted? But I guess that saving the future Black paladin and been the one who feel the Blue Lion for years it’s not enough to the mighty Red Lion”.

“You don’t understand”. He insisted storing those bits of information on his memory. He felt Blue? Only the best sensors were able to feel a Lion quintessence and only when they were active.

“No YOU don’t understand! Do you have any idea of how he felt when you refuse to take down your shield for him? He already think that he’s never enough for anyone so thank you for add your two cents to the pile”.

“He was cocky and arrogant bargain the way he did and hoping that I would accept him right away”. The older Lion insisted remembering the way he acted. It took them create the start of a bond to realize that it was actually that: an act.

For the look that the little soulmark was sending him she seems to be thinking the same.

“What do you want me to do?” He asked finally. They could argue for hours but that wouldn’t help him in the end. Besides, it was hard to fight to someone who looked so much like Blue.

“I want your word that you would do everything on your power to protect him. That you would watch over his safety and happiness like he was the most important thing on your life because believe or not he’s the most important on mine”.

* * *

 

The laughs of the Blue Lion could be hear around the whole hangar.

“It’s not so funny”. Insisted Red with a scowl.

“She… said that… to You!” Her laughs receding to giggles. “The most overprotective lion with his paladins, the ‘mother hen’ on the Pride. And this soulmark wanted your word that you would protect your new pala-”.

“Keith”. He cut her. “His name’s Keith”. That make her stop her laughter, to next smile him sweetly.

“It’s seems like someone was listening. I bet that in no time you would start helping her look for his soulmate too”. At that the male lion hold a snort.

It’s not like he would have to go too far for that.

**Author's Note:**

> Has anybody notice that Keith only said/think bad things about Sapphire wen Lance's involved?


End file.
